Open Letter to Leon E. Panetta, Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense – Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Panetta:
As National President of the Korean War Veterans Association, I represent the Korean War Veterans of
the United States and its’ Territories. The recent creation of the “Distinguished Warfare Medal” to be awarded
to pilots of unmanned aircraft, cyber war experts and others, has created an extremely negative attitude
from our members.
We do not disagree that the aforementioned people should not be awarded for their dedication to duty;
their ability to save ground troops lives; the stress they are under to guide unmanned drones that destroy
our enemies or their installations. However to place the “Distinguished Warfare Medal” above the prominence
of the “Purple Heart” and the “Bronze Star” is unacceptable to our members and those of other Veterans Service
Organizations that I have spoken to.
The men and women that will receive this award are indeed brave individuals, but not in the category
of a combat infantry person, a fighter pilot, or a seaman. When these people fire a weapon in most cases
someone fires in return, and in far too many cases, results in the maiming or death of these extremely brave
men and women. In the case of a drone pilot, this of course does not occur.
We urge you, Mr. Secretary, not to withdraw this award but to change its’ significance, better define
its’ merit and give the unmanned aircraft, cyber war experts and others that are involved in this type of
warfare, an award that is within the nature of their risks. Their risks are somewhat different than a combat
soldier. The stress of knowing you have destroyed an entire village or an entire military installation,
or just the life of one person with the movement of a computer, is a risk to them worthy of an award, but
not one ranked as high as the “Distinguished Warfare Medal” has been designated.
Respectfully
James E. Ferris, President
Korean War Veterans Association, Inc. (KWVA/US)